Sweet Truth!

It’s been a source of pure joy for me.It keeps my anticipation up and excitement going strong throughout a meal because I just cannot wait for the dessert course.And when the sweet decadence arrives at my table –all I really want is for everyone to leave my dessert and me alone! 🙂

So, in my perfect world of sweet truths, what would be better than a desserttasting menu? A chance to savor course after course of decadent sweet treats.Pure heaven!

The idea is still new and it is unclear if there is a solid and sustainable demand for this, so there are just a handful of places I know of (close to Fairfield county) that offer dessert tasting menus.And they all are in New York city.You may have read about my Dominique Ansels’ U.P. experience. Another adorable little place offering a 3-course dessert tasting is Chikalicious.And now, thankfully, a third sweet gem (which opened its doors to public, a couple of weeks ago): Patisserie Chanson’s Dessert Bar.

Rory Macdonald is a London-born chef, living in New York, who has worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay.His first ever solo venture, Patisserie Chanson Dessert Bar, offers a 6 course tasting menu for $68.Additional cocktail and wine pairing for $52… while a supplement cheese course is $8.

I found Chanson’s Dessert Bar experience to be well-executed, well thought-out, well-priced… and quite wel-comed (by me!)

Too much alcohol impairs my enjoyment of good food, so I decided against the pairing… but I did choose the cheese course (to get something savory in my belly before the sweet stuff started arriving).

As soon as we sat down, while our drink orders were being taken, we were offered some pancetta tapioca and truffle pop corn!These two snacks were a perfect prelude for what was to come.They offered a savory alternative with distinct umami flavor profiles.I even found myself munching on those as palate cleansers in between courses.

Chanson’s Dessert Bar stands out from its competition.Housed in Prohibition-era speakeasy and gambling school, this is a 16-seat space situated underground where the layout allows for an intimate, one-on-one experience with the chef Rory and his team.You get to watch them prepare all your deserts in front of your eyes.I loved how chef Rory and his team kept us engaged in conversations and interactions throughout.The vibe was fun, the music was peppy and the everyone was smiling and genuinely having a good time.With such mesmerizing entertainment, time just flew by!

I was pleasantly touched by the fact that very single person working there, introduced themselves by name…. how special!Chef Rory was eager to chat about his ingredients, his creations and our feedback.Icould tell that he was eagerly watching our initial reactions to each dessert.With just two weeks into this new venture, he is is ready and willing to make adjustments to menu all the while perfecting it.

This whole dessert tasting experience was designed to playfully tantalize the senses.One of the first things I noticed, as soon as we settled into our seats, was the aroma of eucalyptus vapor emanating from a bowl placed in front of me.It instantly erased all my stresses and worries of the day and, just like the staff and chef Rory, I was ready to enjoy every minute of this exciting experience That excitement lasted till the very end, when adorable little liquor-infused gummy bears were placed in front of us!!!

Chef Rory loves the element of surprise, so he masterfully creates courses which make you expect one type of flavor profile based on its looks and aromas – but then the dessert turns out to be something totally different.There is also a lot of play on textures and temperatures.In fact, many ingredients were plated and then allowed to sit for a while, on the plate, to let the flavors develop.The beautiful Miso Pink Grapefruit course for instance, was plated on a block of Himalayan salt and allowed to sit so that the salty-flavor can permeate each bite. The same technique allowed for ice cream to sit on a plate while it softened to the perfect texture and temperature resulting in luscious bites… easily scoop-able with a spoon.

While each course offered their own share of thrill and excitement, my absolute favorite bite was the chocolate truffle and sesame dumpling, served in a warm yuzu broth – so moist and tender with an absolutely decadent, silky texture!I have never eaten anything like this before!Genius!!!

There were beautiful savory notes in some of the courses, which brilliantly broke the monotony of sweet flavors.Speaking of notes, at the end of the meal it was so fun to receive the printed menu of what we savored that evening….. and, get this, it was written as a musical composition where the notes were the five flavor profiles (sweet, salty, spicy, sour, and umami).Such attention to detail!

Patisserie Chanson is lovely bakery offering sweet and savory baked goods during the day. They also serve traditional afternoon tea from 3-6 pm (no reservations necessary).The Dessert Bar tasting menu is offered in the evenings and for that reservations are highly recommended.

Now, I’d like to leave you with a final piece of advise:You MUST try their black sesame Kouign Amann.I ordered one to take home .It was my breakfast the morning after a decadent 6-course dessert tasting.And that, my friends, is how its done!